I Feel too Much
by Mystical.Reader
Summary: Emily Prentiss realizes that she feels too much for one Aaron Hotchner and she can't tell him. She decides instead that she needs to take a leave of absence. Will she get the leave of absence and run away or will she meet what she feels head on?


Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds or any of the song title prompts by Celine Dion.

Song Title Prompt: I Feel Too Much – Celine Dion

Emily Prentiss could not help but think to herself that I feel too much. She is so in love with someone who does not even know she exists outside of work. She was not sure if she could keep doing what she was doing. Yes, Emily Prentiss was in love with her boss Aaron Hotchner. She still could not believe that she was in love with him. One minute he was just her boss and the next minute she fell hard and fast for him. She didn't even get the chance to fight what she was feeling because it didn't come on gradually. It just happened in one moment. One moment is all it took for her life to be turned completely upside down and inside out.

Six months after she fell in love with him she finally made a decision. She knew she couldn't tell him how she felt and she knew that she could not keep seeing him day in and day out because it was starting to hurt. He was finally starting to date again and it hurt to hear him talk to Dave about the lady he was currently seeing. She needed time and space and that is what she was going to give herself. She decided that she would see if she could get a leave of absence. If she could not then she would just hand in her resignation.

So close to the end of the workday on Friday she got up from her desk and walked up to the office of the man that she loved and knocked on the door. She could not even give him a slight smile when he looked up at her and the motioned her in.

"What can I do for you Prentiss?" Hotch asked.

She had to take in a deep breath before she said "I need to take a leave of absence."

Hotch was shocked and it showed on his face and in his actions as he set the pen down that he was using. "Why do you need to take a leave of absence Prentiss? Are you alright? Is there anything I can do?"

She shook her head as she thought if only there was. "No, Hotch there isn't anything you can do. I just need time and space and I can't do that being around you."

She slapped her hand over her mouth as she realized what she just said. She hoped that he would not catch her slip up. She should have known better though. After all he was one of the best profilers in the BAU.

"What do you mean you need time and space and that you can't do that being around me Prentiss?" Hotch asked in a cautious tone.

He was not sure he really wanted to know the answer to his question. He had secret hopes but there was no way he was opening his mouth until he knew why she needed a leave of absence. He really did not want her to go anywhere. The best part of his days were when he gets to see her, hear her and talk to her. He could not imagine anything different. He needed her in his life even if it was not in the way he wanted her in his life.

Emily knew there was no way that she was going to get out of this without telling him something so she settled on telling him partial truth. "I feel too much Hotch. I just need to get away before I end up broken and alone. I cannot keep doing what I have been doing. It is wearing me down too much."

Hotch stood up from his desk and walked around to the front of it and then leaned back against his desk. "What do you mean you feel too much Prentiss? What does you feeling too much have to do with me? I know that what you just said was the truth but I also know it is not the whole truth. So why don't you tell me the whole truth now? You know you can talk to me about anything."

Emily stood stock still and closed her eyes as she said "I am in love with you Hotch. I cannot stand being around one minute longer especially when I hear you talking to Dave about the woman you are dating. It hurts me too much and I can't handle it anymore. I don't want to handle it anymore. My heart already feels like it is broken so I need time away from you too see if I can repair my heart. I do not blame you for breaking my heart because how could you know? I never told anyone let alone you that I was in love with you. Will you please just put me in for a leave of absence? If you won't or can't then I will just resign."

If Emily had, had her eyes open she would have seen the happiness on Aaron's face. As he listened to her talk his heart beat faster and a grin appeared on his face. He had to shake his head ruefully because yes he has dated women but if she would have stuck around she would have heard him comparing the women that he dated to her while he talked to Dave. Nobody in his eyes could match up to her. He pushed himself off of his desk and took the two steps it took to get to her.

Emily opened her eyes up when she felt Aaron's hands on her face on both cheeks. Her eyes widened when she saw the gleam in his eyes right before he crashed his lips down onto her own lips in a demanding kiss. She had no choice but to respond to his kiss. Her heart was thumping hard in her chest and she did not even care. All that mattered at this moment was the fact that the man she is in love with was kissing her senseless.

Once he broke the kiss Aaron kissed Emily on the forehead and said "I am in love with you too Emily. If you would have bothered staying around when you heard me talking to Dave you would have heard me comparing the woman I was dating to you. She could never measure up to you Emily. Nobody could ever measure up to you. Do you still want that leave of absence?"

Emily shook her head ruefully. "No I don't want the leave of absence. I love you Aaron."

Aaron smiled and wrapped his arm around her shoulders as he pulled her to his side and kissed her hair. "I love you too Emily and I will for the rest of our lives."


End file.
